Research efforts have been and being made on porous materials for the purpose of adsorption and removal of harmful substances, adsorption and collection of useful substances and fixation of biological substances. Particularly, carbon porous bodies (meso porous carbon) that are stable under hydrothermal conditions (e.g. in hot water) are attracting attention. Techniques for manufacturing such carbon porous bodies by means of molds have been proposed (see, inter alia, Patent Document 1).
FIG. 12 of the accompanying drawings is a flowchart of a known method of manufacturing a carbon molecular body. This manufacturing method will be described below on a step by step basis.
Step S1210: A mold having gas holes (air holes) (meso porous silica) is impregnated with a mixture containing a silica oligomer, a carbon precursor substance that is a carbon-containing compound liable to be subjected to condensation polymerization and a liquid carrier. The mold has a structure where gas holes are irregularly three-dimensionally linked to each other or a structure where medium gas holes are linked to micro gas holes. The carbon precursor substance is a carbohydrate or a monomer. The silica oligomer is contained in order to raise the gas hole ratio in the obtained carbon molecular body. The liquid carrier accelerates the impregnation of the mixture to the mold.
Step S1220: The carbon precursor substance contained in the mixture with which the mold is impregnated is polymerized. The polymerization is realized by means of a heat treatment to produce a carbon precursor substance polymer that is formed in the gas holes of the mold. The liquid carrier is dried by the heat treatment.
Step S1230: The carbon precursor substance polymer formed in the gas holes is pyrolyzed and carbonized. The remaining liquid carrier is also removed by the pyrolysis.
Step S1240: The mold and the silica oligomer are treated by a solution that selectively dissolves them and removed. As a result, a carbon molecular body having micro gas holes is obtained.